Foldable chair



y 26, 1964 R. c. LEACHMAN, JR 3,134,622

FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Sept. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //v VEN TOR. ROBE/P7 C ZEACHMAMJR ATTORNEY y 6, 1964 R. c. LEACHMAN, JR 3,134,622

FOLDABLE CHAIR Filed Sept. 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v v/vrae Poss/2r c zmcHMA/x JA.

United States Patent M 3,134,622 FOLDABLE CHAR Robert C. Leachman, In, 4905 Grand Ave., Des Moines,,lowa Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,314 2 Claims. (Cl. 297-35) This invention relates to an article of furniture, and particularly to a folding or collapsible chair.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide an outdoor chair of redwood or the like which is foldable. Redwood outdoor furniture has been used with enjoyment by many for years; however, with such enjoyment has come the disenchantment of storage, for this type of furniture is bulky and non-foldable as a rule.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved foldable chair.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved foldable chair comprising standard out lengths of wood pivotally and hingedly connected together for folding into substantially a single plane.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved folding chair which includes a back rest frame the lower portion of which is supported on the ground, a seat rest frame pivotally connected to the back rest frame, and a frame for supporting the former two frames which is pivotally connected to the seat rest frame and engageable simultaneously with the back rest frame and the ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide a chair as characterized hereinbefore and which has arm rests also foldable into substantially the same plane with the back and seat rest frames.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved foldable chair as characterized hereinbefore which is economical to manufacture, efficient in use, and foldable into an easily packaged shape.

These objects and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from the following specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the improved foldable chair;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the chair of FIG. 1 when completely folded;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken through the longitudinal center of the chair shown in a completely unfolded position;

FIG. 4- is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view of a detail of the invention, taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the chair, shown in a half-folded position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the chair when completely folded; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the side of the chair.

Referring now to the drawings, the chair of my invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The chair is made of standard out lengths of wood, preferably redwood, and which lengths are pivotally and hingedly connected together by metal hardware or the like. The chair is usable in an unfolded position best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, and is foldable in a manner shown in FIG. 5 to a relatively fiat condition as seen in FIGS. 2 and 6 for storage, shipping and transportation.

The chair It) comprises a back rest frame 11, a seat rest frame 12 pivotally connected to the back rest frame 11, a supporting frame 13, and a pair of arm supports 14.

The back rest frame 11 includes a pair of elongated side frame members 1.6 and 17 (FIG. 1) maintained in a 3,l34,d22 Patented May 26, 1964 parallel, transversely spaced relation by a plurality, five as shown, of straight, flat slats 13 arranged in a vertically spaced parallel manner. The slats 18 are secured, as by nails, screws, staples or the like, to the back or underside 19 (FIG. 3) of the members 16 and I7 and at the top portions 21 of the members. The lower portions 22 of the members 16 and 17 are shaped at their ends for ground or other surface engagement, and with the members 16 and 17 inclined as best illustrated in FIG. 3.

The seat rest frame 12 includes a pair of elongated side rails 24, each of which is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 26 intermediate its ends, and in a side-by-side contiguous relation with one of the back rest members 16 or 17. Referring to FIG. 1, it may be seen that the pivots 26 place the side rails 24 immediately below the lowermost slat 18a. The side rails 24 are maintained in their parallel, transversely spaced position by a plurality, four as shown, of straight, flat boards 27.

The boards 27 are arranged in a substantially horizontally spaced parallel relation, and are secured as by nails, screws, staples or the like to the underside 28 of the portions 29 of the side rails 24 forwardly of the pivots 26. The opposite portions 31 of the side rails 24 extend rearwardly of the pivots 26 and the members 16 and 17 for a purpose hereinafter described.

From this arrangement, it may readily be seen a rigid box-like seat frame 12 is provided, having upright side rails extended in a substantially vertical plane at right angles to the boards which are generally in a horizontal plane. Furthermore, by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it may readily be seen that the seat frame 12 is foldable into a nested relation with the back frame 11 wherein the faces of the slats 18 act as a stop or limit means for the upper edges 30 (FIGS. 1 and 7) of the side rails 24. Thus, when folded, the members 16 and 17 lie side by side and parallel with the side rails 24, and in one position as shown in FIG. 6, the slats 18 face downwardly and are on the bottom of the folded chair It and the boards face upwardly and are on the top of the folded chair 10.

To support the back frame 11 and the seat frame 12 in their unfolded relative positions, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7, the supporting frame 13 is provided. This frame comprises a pair of parallel, transversely spaced legs 32 interconnected across their upper ends 33 by a cross bar 34. Each leg 32 is pivotally connected to an adjacent side rail rear portion 31 by a pivot pin 36 intermediate the upper end 33 and the lower end 37 of each leg. Each lower end 37 is shaped for flat ground engagement when the chair 10 is in its unfolded position (FIG. 3) and with the cross bar 34 engaged With the rear surface of the back frame 11. To aid in locking the supporting frame 13 in the unfolded position, an elongated cleat 38 (FIGS. 3 and 7) is secured to one of the slats 18. The cleat 33 is engageable by the cross bar 34 so as to block upward movement of the supporting frame 13.

The arm supports 14 each include an arm rest 39 (FIG. 1) pivotally connected at its rear end by a pivot bolt 41 to an adjacent member 16 or 17, and mounted with its flat side on the horizontal, so to speak, so as to provide a comfortable surface. To support each arm rest 39 in a position substantially parallel to the side rail 24 therebelow (see FIG. 3), a brace 42 is provided, and which is connected at its upper end by a hinge 43 (FIG. 5) to the underside of the respective arm rest 39.

In order to attain as fiat a folded profile as possible, wherein all parts of the chair 10 are substantially in a common plane, the braces 42 are spaced outwardly from their adjacent side rails 24 suflicient to enable each brace 42 to fold completely about its hinge 43 and upon the respective arm rest with which it is connected (see FIG. 6). Referring particularly to FIG. 4 for each arm support 14 an elongated pivot bolt 44 extends through the brace 42, a wooden spacer 4-6 (see FIG. 2), and through a short support 47 secured to the underside of a pair of adjacent slats 18. A nut and washer unit 48 (FIG. 4) secure these parts at the inserted end 49 of the bolt 44 against transverse movement, but permit their relative pivotal movement.

To change the chair from the unfolded upright position of FIG. 1 to the completely folded position of FIGS. 2 and 6, the chair may be tilted forwardly until members 16 and 17 assume an upright vertical position as best illustrated in FIG. 5. The seat frame 12 is then pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5, with the arm supports 14 automatically unhinging as illustrated. Simultaneously with the movement of the seat frame 12, the supporting frame 13 is pivoted clockwise as viewed in FIG. until the legs 32 are side by side and parallel with the side rails 24. Continued counterclockwise movement of the seat frame 12 closes it into engagement with the back frame 11 as described hereinbefore, and brings the side rails 24 and legs 32 all into the same plane with the members 16 and 17. The continued unhinging movement of each arm rest 39 and brace 42 occurs until these two elements move together wherein each brace 42 overlaps its arm rest 39, as best shown in FIG. 6.

Thus, in summation, a redwood chair for primarily outdoor use has been described which is comprised basically of a ground supported back rest frame, a seat rest frame pivotally connected to the back rest frame and supported by a ground supported supporting frame pivotally connected to the seat rest frame and adapted to simultaneously engage the back rest frame and the ground, and which may include arm supports, and which chair is readily folded between an upright position for sitting, and a collapsed position for storing or transporting purposes.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my foldable chair without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. A foldable article of furniture comprising in combination:

a back rest frame including a pair of parallel, transversely spaced, elongated members the upper portions of which are connected by a plurality of transversely extended, vertically spaced, parallel slats, the lower portions of said members adapted to engage and rest on a ground surface;

a seat rest frame including a pair of parallel, transversely spaced side rails each pivotally conected intermediate the ends thereof to a member immediately slow the lowermost one of said slats, each side rail movable contiguous to the inside surface of the adjacent member, a plurality of parallel, horizontally spaced slats connected to and extended between said side rails, said seat rest frame movable to a folded position Where said side rails extend parallel to and side-by-side with said members, and wherein said slats of both frames face each other; and

a support frame including a pair of transversely spaced, parallel legs and a transversely extended cross brace interconnecting common ends of said legs, with the other ends adapted to engage the ground surface, each of said legs pivotally connected intermediate the length thereof to said side rails and movable contiguous to the inner surface thereof, said support frame movable from one position where said cross brace engages the rear surface of said back rest frame and wherein said legs other ends engage the ground surface, to another position Where said legs extend substantially parallel to and side-by-side with said side rails, and with said cross brace extended between said side rails.

2. A foldable article of furniture comprising in combination:

a back rest frame including a pair of parallel, transversely spaced, elongated members the upper portions of which are connected by a plurality of transversely extended, vertically spaced, parallel slats, the lower portions of said members adapted to engage and rest on a ground surface;

a seat rest frame including a pair of parallel, transversely spaced side rails each pivotally connected intermediate the ends thereof to a member immediately below the lowermost one of said slats, each side rail movable contiguous to the inside surface of the adjacent member, a plurality of parallel, horizontally spaced slats connected to and extended between said side rails, said seat rest frame movable to a folded position where said side rails extend parallel to and side-by-side with said members, and wherein said slats of both frames face each other;

a support frame including a pair of transversely spaced, parallel legs and a transversely extended cross brace interconnecting common ends of said legs, with the other ends adapted to engage the ground surface, each of said legs pivotally connected intermediate the length thereof to said side rails and movable contiguous to the inner surface thereof, said support frame movable from one position Where said cross brace engages the rear surface of said back rest frame and wherein said legs other ends the ground surface, to another position Where said legs extend substantially parallel to and side-by-side with said side rails, and with said cross brace extended between said side rails; and

an arm support mounted on each side of said article, each arm support including a first element and a second element, said elements hingedly connected at adjacent ends, the free end of said first element pivotally connected to a member and movable contiguous to the outer surface thereof, said second element pivotally connected to said seat rest frame, said elements movable to a position where both elements are parallel to each other, side-by-side, and both contiguous to the outer surface of the adjacent member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 21, Great Britain Feb. 20, 

1. A FOLDABLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A BACK REST FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL, TRANSVERSELY SPACED, ELONGATED MEMBERS THE UPPER PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE CONNECTED BY A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDED, VERTICALLY SPACED, PARALLEL SLATS, THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID MEMBERS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE AND REST ON A GROUND SURFACE; A SEAT REST FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL, TRANSVERSELY SPACED SIDE RAILS EACH PIVOTALLY CONECTED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF TO A MEMBER IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE LOWERMOST ONE OF SAID SLATS, EACH SIDE RAIL MOVABLE CONTIGUOUS TO THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL, HORIZONTALLY SPACED SLATS CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDED BETWEEN SAID SIDE RAILS, SAID SEAT REST FRAME MOVABLE TO A FOLDED POSITION WHERE SAID SIDE RAILS EXTEND PARALLEL TO AND SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH SAID MEMBERS, AND WHEREIN SAID SLATS OF BOTH FRAMES FACE EACH OTHER; AND A SUPPORT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED, PARALLEL LEGS AND A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDED CROSS BRACE INTERCONNECTING COMMON ENDS OF SAID LEGS, WITH THE OTHER ENDS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE GROUND SURFACE, EACH OF SAID LEGS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH THEREOF TO SAID SIDE RAILS AND MOVABLE CONTIGUOUS TO THE INNER SURFACE THEREOF, SAID SUPPORT FRAME MOVABLE FROM ONE POSITION WHERE SAID CROSS BRACE ENGAGES THE REAR SURFACE OF SAID BACK REST FRAME AND WHEREIN SAID LEGS'' OTHER ENDS ENGAGE THE GROUND SURFACE, TO ANOTHER POSITION WHERE SAID LEGS EXTEND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO AND SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH SAID SIDE RAILS, AND WITH SAID CROSS BRACE EXTENDED BETWEEN SAID SIDE RAILS. 